Are you going to be in the mountains for a bit of skiing this weekend, but the weather forecast calls for rain on Saturday? Just looking for something to do in Boone? Swing on over to the Turchin Center, view the fabulous photography by Hugh Morton, and stay dry!

Emmett Kelly, Jr. at the 1968 Azalea Festival Parade in Wilmington, North Carolina.Perhaps the world’s most recognizable clown, Emmett Kelly, Jr. sprung into international fame soon after completing his four-year apprenticeship in 1964. Hired by Kodak as the attraction for its pavilion during the 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair, the company employed Kelly as a touring Ambassador of Goodwill for the following four years. During that time period, Kelly was the most photographed clown in the world, including this one by Hugh Morton—a founder and organizer of the azalea festival.

Here are the gallery hours at the Turchin Center:

Tue: 10am – 6pm

Wed: 10am – 6pm

Thu: 10am – 6pm

Fri: 12noon – 8pm

Sat: 10am – 6pm

Can’t make it to Boone before the exhibit’s last day on January 25th? Fear not! We have two additional venues in the works for this year: one farther west this spring and another in the east during the late summer and autumn. I’ll be posting more information as the details unfold.